Posted on 06/08/2006 8:23:10 AM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach
US and UK leaders have hailed the death of the leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, blamed for killing thousands in Iraq's insurgency. President George W Bush said his death in a US air raid was a severe blow to al-Qaeda and "justice" for Zarqawi.
UK Prime Minister Tony Blair said it was "very good news". Both leaders said Zarqawi's death would not end unrest. The news came shortly before the Iraqi parliament approved the key posts of defence and interior ministers. The two crucial roles had remained unfilled despite the formation of a coalition government last month.
Zarqawi's death was an opportunity for the new government to "turn the tide", President Bush said. "The ideology of terror has lost one of its most visible and aggressive leaders," he added. Correspondents say it remains to be seen if one man's death will bring a breakthrough in Iraq. Zarqawi died in a strike against an "isolated safe house" about 8km (five miles) north of Baquba at 1815 (1415 GMT) on Wednesday, officials said.
"We have eliminated Zarqawi," Prime Minister Nouri Maliki told a news conference in Baghdad, sparking sustained applause.
The strike was the "painstaking, deliberate result" of intelligence over "many weeks", US military spokesman Major General William Caldwell said. He showed a picture of the militant leader's body and a videotape of the attack, in which he said American F-16 fighter jets dropped two 500lb bombs on the site. The body was moved to a secure site where Zarqawi's identity was confirmed by scars, tattoos and fingerprints, the official said. A Jordanian government spokesman said Jordanian agents had contributed to the operation against Zarqawi.
Mr Maliki said intelligence from Iraqi people had also helped to track down Zarqawi, who had a $25m (£13m) price on his head - the same bounty as that offered by the US for Osama Bin Laden. A statement on the internet attributed to an umbrella group for jihadi organisations including al-Qaeda in Iraq has confirmed Zarqawi's death, reports say. Jordanian-born Zarqawi was said to have been in a meeting with associates at the time. Five other people were killed in the raid, including spiritual adviser Sheikh Abd-al-Rahman and an unidentified woman and child. Within hours of the killings, troops launched 17 simultaneous raids around Baghdad, which yielded a "treasure trove" of intelligence, according to the US official. 'Violent thug' Zarqawi was not a global mastermind like al-Qaeda leader Bin Laden, says the BBC's security correspondent, Frank Gardner.
Instead he was a bloodthirsty and violent thug, our correspondent says - who made enemies and several mistakes that might have contributed to his downfall. These included ordering a triple suicide bombing against hotels in Amman, Jordan, last November, that killed 60 people, our correspondent says. Zarqawi was accused of leading the rash of kidnappings and beheadings of foreign workers.
It has been suggested that he appeared personally on one video posted on the internet, cutting off the head of an American hostage. A video released in April showed Zarqawi shooting an automatic rifle and berating the US for its "arrogance". The video provided the most up-to-date picture of the fugitive. Violence continued on Thursday as 13 people were killed and 28 injured in a bomb on a Baghdad market, police said.
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Anyone know if the 4th ID was involved?
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Here is the announcement by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki on the killing of militant leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi:
For the tragic end that they will all get: today we have managed to put an end to Zarqawi.
What happened today is a result of co-operation that we have been asking from our masses and from our citizens and the sons of our country that have been co-operating with us - by providing us with information and to have facilitated the task of the Iraqi forces and multinational forces by striking a final blow.
This is a message to all those who are pursuing violence, destruction - they should stop and they should review their situation and they should resort to logic before it's too late, because we have decided and we will carry on, on the same path until the end of the road, by killing all the terrorists.
Our political march, our military forces and security forces will carry on in the protection of our people until the end of the day.
Today's Iraq is the Iraq where all political forces and the son[s] of the country are united.
They are acting as one to face up to the terrorists and destructive elements. This mass front and national unity is our gate to face up to all the challenges.
Thank God all the Iraqis are now becoming aware that the only path for improving the Iraqi people and to improve the sovereignty and the progress of Iraq is through unity and to find serious ways for political dialogue. Because all Iraqis are in the same boat and this boat should reach the shores of safety and happiness - God willing.
Thank you very much to our citizens for their services and for their co-operation and many thanks for our armed forces and security forces and the army.
Thank you for the multinational forces for their leadership and great role in facing up to terrorism and forward for more victories - God willing.
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The first hint of the death of Abu-Musab al-Zarqawi, the leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq, was observed by BBC Monitoring on the Iraqi TV station al-Sharqiya. The station announced at 0702 GMT that Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki would soon give a news conference of "paramount importance". At 0722 GMT the pan-Arab al-Arabiya TV carried a screen caption quoting its correspondent reporting: "Maliki announces the death of Abu-Musab al-Zarqawi in Iraq." At 0729 GMT al-Jazeera reported that Iraqi TV was quoting the Iraqi prime minister as saying that Zarqawi had been killed. The TV added that "the Pentagon has not thus far confirmed the report". Further details As viewers waited for the news conference, details began to emerge on other Arabic TV stations. Al-Zarqawi had been killed during a US air raid, reported al-Arabiya. "Al-Zarqawi has been killed in air raid north of Baquba," said a screen caption broadcast by Iraqi Patriotic Union of Kurdistan KurdSat TV at 0740 GMT. Live announcement Iraqi TV stations broke into their regular schedules at 0741 GMT to bring their viewers the news conference live. The children's cartoons on al-Sharqiya TV stopped and al-Iraqiya TV interrupted its regular cookery programme. The scene switched to Baghdad, as Iraqi networks ran the news conference live. Viewers saw Prime Minister Nouri Maliki make the announcement at 0742 GMT: "Today al-Zarqawi has been killed." The announcement was followed by applause and cheering. First reactions As the news conference continued, al-Iraqiya TV provided a consecutive translation into English. Pan-Arabic stations combined clips from the news conference with recent footage of al-Zarqawi and reports on his background. Al-Arabiya cited the US ambassador to Iraq, Zalmay Khalilzad, congratulating the US military but warning that "the killing of Zarqawi will not put an end to violence in Iraq". Al-Arabiya also quoted Zarqawi's brother as saying that the killing "was expected".
Continuous coverage Both al-Jazeera and al-Arabiya dropped their scheduled news bulletins in favour of a continuous coverage of the story, using correspondents from both Iraq and Jordan (where Zarqawi was born). At 0757 GMT, al-Arabiya was the only pan-Arab channel to carry live a speech by US commander in Iraq George Casey at the news conference, who gave details of the strike and how multinational forces had confirmed Zarqawi's identity. They had identified the body with fingerprint and facial recognition as well as characteristic scars, he said. The channel also covered the question and answer session which followed. Iran's Arabic-language al-Alam TV chose not to give the story continuous coverage, and instead put Zarqawi at the top of their normal news bulletins. Official reaction At 0848 GMT, Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari was the first notable personality to be interviewed on the death of Zarqawi. Speaking live on al-Arabiya TV, he said "the killing of this terrorist, who topped the list of wanted people, not only in Iraq but on the international level, is a happy day for Iraq, the Iraqi people, and all free people." "This does not mean at all that we are going to witness an end to killing, violence, terrorism, and terrorist operations," he warned. He was followed soon afterwards by Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih, who spoke to Turkish NTV. "We think that this is a very important victory for the Iraqi people. In fact, this is a great victory for the whole of humanity in terms of the fight against terrorism," he said. Popular reaction Al-Iraqiyah TV was first to go out onto the street in Iraq to assess the popular reaction to the killing. All of those interviewed expressed joy at the news "We consider this a great delight to the people because good has got to prevail," said one. "We congratulate the Iraqi government on this great achievement because it has cut off the snake's head," said another. There was also anger from one elderly man who said that "Abu Musab al-Zarqawi deserves to be cut into pieces because he hurt, killed the people and slaughtered the Muslims." Al-Qaeda website At 1057 GMT, nearly four hours after the first reports, al-Jazeera TV reported that an al-Qaeda website had acknowledged the death of one of its most iconic leaders. In an urgent screen caption, al-Jazeera TV reported: "Al-Hisbah electronic website used by al-Qaeda confirms death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi."
BBC Monitoring selects and translates news from radio, television, press, news agencies and the internet from 150 countries in more than 70 languages. It is based in Caversham, UK, and has several bureaux abroad. |
Next up, Iraqi man-in-the-street interviews ala Uday and Qusay, or Saddam's tooth exam photos.
"Yes, Zarqawi killed three of my family members, but to show his dead body is too humiliating. To a Muslim this is the worst thing. The Americans are not civilized. They don't value our traditions."
Count on it. Like clockwork.
There was also anger from one elderly man who said that "Abu Musab al-Zarqawi deserves to be cut into pieces because he hurt, killed the people and slaughtered the Muslims."
I hope so! I working with 4ID and 1st Cav up at Fort Hood when Saddam was captured, and it was a wonderful feeling. Knowing my fat, dumpy, out of shape ex-Navy self was helping the Army by do what I can here at home, so they can do what the WORLD needs them to do there.
Bravo Zulu, or in Army-speak, Hoo-Ah!
4th ID Troops Involved In Zarqawi Attack
June 8, 2006)Troops from the 4th Infantry Division assigned to Multinational Division Baghdad-North were the first Americans on the scene after U.S. Air Force pilots bombed a safe house Wednesday several miles outside of Baqubah north of Baghdad, killing terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq and one of Osama Bin Ladens top lieutenants.
Maj. Gen. William Caldwell, the spokesman for Multinational Force Iraq told reporters that a quick reaction force of 4th Infantry Division soldiers stood by as Air Force F16s dropped two 500-pound bombs on the safe house where Zarqawi and his top spiritual adviser were meeting.
Their role was to move in to secure the area in the event that anyone had survived the bombing and to continue the fight on the ground if necessary, Caldwell said.
http://www.kwtx.com/breakingnews/3000991.html
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Scott reproduced Centcom's press release below. Video of General Casey's press conference is here; lots more video coverage here. Omar from Iraq the Model reports from Iraq:
In the first official confirmation, PM al-Maliki said that Jordan has provided intelligence that was used in the raid on Zaraqwi's hiding place but he also stressed that tips from locals were the primary lead to Zarqawi's exact location and these were the information according to which the missiles were guided.Al-Maliki said that among the 7 killed with Zarqawi were two women who were responsible for collecting intelligence for the al-Qaeda HQ cell.
This is just about the best possible news, and it couldn't have come at a better time.
UPDATE: al Qaeda in Iraq has acknowledged Zarqawi's death, which they refer to as "the joyous news of the martyrdom of our warrior Sheikh Abu Musab al-Zarqawi."
Via Power Line News, where you can follow breaking news and commentary on the Zarqawi story all day.
MORE: Austin Bay assesses the strategic significance of Zarqawi's demise. He also quotes an intriguing post on Strategy Page by Jim Dunnigan earlier this week, which includes this prediction:
Given that Zarqawi has become a loose cannon and that his actions are handicapping Al Qaedas efforts, it seems reasonable to expect that an accident may befall him at some point in the near future. If handled right it can be made to look like he went out in a blaze of glory fighting American troops or that he was foully murdered.
And Austin addes that al Jazeera is now playing the video of Zarqawi trying unsuccessfully to fire an American weapon--the one that the New York Times complained was unfair to the terrorist. This is good: Zarqawi, al Qaeda's most effective terrorist over the past three years, not just dead but ridiculed.
FURTHER UPDATE: UPI's security analyst assesses the significance of Zarqawi's elimination:
The Saudi security forces have killed at least five successive operational heads of al-Qaida in their country over the past three years and -- alarmist Western media reports to the contrary -- they have as a result been able to keep al-Qaida activity ineffectual and minimal.The killing of Zarqawi does not guarantee U.S. and allied victory against the insurgents. But after a long, dark period since January, it is a ray of genuine light for U.S. policymakers.
Via Power Line News.
Also, Blog of the Week TigerHawk comments:
The humiliation of al Qaeda and its putative allies on the battlefield and in the streets of the West is necessary to destroy the credibility of its ideology. We will win only when the ideology is no longer credible. Al Qaeda bet that victory over the United States in Iraq would bolster its credibility in the Arab and Muslim world. It is losing that bet.
MORE: Michelle Malkin notes the typically demented reaction of the White House press corps:
Will the Zarqawi success help the President on immigration?
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